


Not so Scary After All

by HazelTheHorrific



Category: Buzzfeed Unsolved (Web Series), Watcher Entertainment RPF
Genre: Comedy, Demon Shane Introduced to the World, Demon Shane Madej, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Gen, Hurt Ryan Bergara, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Multi, Other, Protective Shane Madej, Romantic Comedy, Romantic Face Punching, Ryan Bergara Being an Idiot, Ryan Bergara Loves Shane Madej, Ryan Shows Shane Human Stuff, Scared Ryan Bergara, Shane Madej Being an Idiot, Shane Madej Loves Ryan Bergara, Shane and Ryan are Idiots, Shane is the Son of Satan, Slow Burn, Thats Tough, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-29
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-15 22:27:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,187
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29071779
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HazelTheHorrific/pseuds/HazelTheHorrific
Summary: “Well, you see, I, uh… I’m just a little bit not human.”“W-What…?”“I’m a… a being from beyond, if you will. Your house is pretty nice, and… well, I’ve been crashing here for a while now.”“You… you’re a ghost?”“Not a ghost, no. Try again.”“A… An angel? Shit, some cryptid? A Sasquatch!”“A Sasquatch- no!! Come on, man, I had more faith in you than this!!”“Then what are you?”“I’m a demon, baby!”Ryan didn't ask for this, and yet, here he is- Shane is a handful. He's chaotic, sarcastic, and, let's be honest, he's a bit of an asshole as well, and now Ryan is stuck with him. This has to be amusing.
Relationships: Ryan Bergara/Shane Madej
Comments: 63
Kudos: 88





	1. chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Ah, yes, self indulgence. It's healthy, I always say! I am hyperfixating HARD on Buzzfeed Unsolved, and just had to write about these two lovely guys. Of course, I absolutely respect them in real life and their legitimate relationships with one another and others, and acknowledge that this is nothing but fiction. Their dynamic, their characters, they're just too good not to write about, and the Demon!Shane trope is just so great to me- so, yeah, here this is :) I hope you all enjoy it as much as I do!

Ryan Bergara has always said he liked his job- I mean, come on, what could possibly be cooler than being a ghost hunter?- but that doesn’t mean he isn’t allowed to hate it sometimes. Right now, for example, he would rather be doing anything else. It was just about 3:00 am and here sat Ryan with his laptop in front of him and a cold coffee in his hand, exhausted as all hell but determined to get this video done for tomorrow. Some days he really wished he had someone else to help him review this paranormal evidence, someone else who believed in ghosts like he did, but all he had was his cameraman, a few planners, and the Buzzfeed higher-ups who did nothing more than make sure his show was well-funded. A co-host would be nice, Ryan thinks, as he stares aimlessly at the computer screen, watching his past self roam a dark hallway with wide, terrified eyes. He sips his coffee.

Buzzfeed Unsolved is a good show. A good job. He has a surprising amount of creative freedom, and he genuinely enjoys searching through these dark places and telling unsolved mysteries to the world, but there were bad things that came with his profession, too- sometimes Ryan tricked himself into thinking he was being haunted or stalked or bullshit like that. It was all stupid, he was certain, and he’d been told that by his crew too many times to count, but it didn’t stop him from shuddering at the spooky thoughts that sometimes grappled with his mind. From time to time he’d feel eyes burning into the back of his head, or he’ll sense a malevolent energy roaming around his apartment. There was never any concrete proof, no downright evidence. There was just a feeling, and that feeling was enough to sometimes drive him mad.

Something in his house creaked. It was nearly inaudible. It was probably nothing, and could be explained by hundreds of logical answers; house-settling noises, his mind playing tricks, maybe even a mouse, and yet the first explanation that leaps at him is ghost. He forces his attention to stay on his computer, watching the sickly green hue of the night-vision camera, and shudders as sudden goosebumps ripple across his skin. His gaze flicks down to his exposed forearm, glowing in the light of the laptop. Yep, goosebumps- but he isn’t cold. As his attention is stolen away by his racing thoughts, the audio playing loudly into one of his ears catches him by surprise. He jumps at the sound of his own startled scream coming from his footage. Get yourself together, Ryan, it’s just a video. He is reminded of years as a kid, when he’d sneak out of bed to watch horror movies from behind the couch without his parents noticing, only to get nightmares just as he’d been told he would. Ryan feels foolish- he isn’t a kid anymore. 

Ryan taps the space bar, pausing his video feed and letting out a sigh. He raises a hand, rubbing it along his face, pinching the bridge of his nose. He is exhausted, but he’s so close to being done and he really doesn’t want to get this video out late. Maybe another mug of coffee and a 5-hour energy will help. He pushes his laptop aside, shifting to stand from his spot sitting cross-legged on his bed, and hears his knees crack in protest after being folded for so long. His left foot is buzzing with pins and needles, fast asleep from being crushed beneath him for nearly four hours. As he flicks on his light, Ryan looks over at his desk. Why doesn’t he use it? The bed is more comfortable, I guess, he thinks to himself. Coffee, right- he was getting coffee. His brain moves sluggish, slow, and as he turns to look out into his dark living room he hears another creak.

This time the sound is father away. It’s still quiet, and he still forces his panic aside, instead just telling himself he’s sleep deprived. Coffee wakes the brain, once he’s had a nice cup of it he’ll be back to normal and he’ll get this work done. The goosebumps on his skin are still there, and subconsciously Ryan finds himself setting his feet down lightly, a habit he has picked up from his time ghost hunting. If he’s quiet, maybe the spirits won’t see him- that’s his logic, at least. Through the pitch-dark living room he creeps, past his sofa and around his recliner chair. The kitchen is just beyond the living room, shrouded in blackness. Suddenly, something in Ryan begins to scream warnings in his mind. He feels something, a sudden drop in temperature. Maybe he’s getting sick. Coffee will fix this. He hopes. 

Another creak. His heart suddenly stops. This time, he really convinces himself that he’s going insane. It sounded like it was right in front of him, just inside the kitchen. It sounded like it was mere feet away, and it’s so damn dark he can’t see that far. The fear that had been festering in his chest pulses outwards, and then the sound of his cupboard clicking shut pushes him over the edge of terror. He is either insane, or he just discovered that something or someone was in his kitchen right in front of him. Had all those sounds been real? He didn’t really want to find out, rooted to his spot as he tried to get himself to move for the light switch. What if he turned on the light to see Satan himself standing in his kitchen? What if it was some serial killer, raiding his drawers for weapons?  


Finally, Ryan snapped from his terrified stupor and dove for the light just inside the kitchen. He slammed his hand against it, flooding the world around him with light, and felt the fear in his chest explode alongside so many other emotions. A startled shout accompanied his terrified scream, and both he and the other person scrambled away from one another. In the haze of chaos, a red box fell to the floor, spilling rainbow marshmallows in its wake and forcing confusion into the hellish concoction of Ryan’s emotions. There was a man in his kitchen, a man other than himself- obviously- who had been picking around his cupboards for who knows what.

“Who the fuck are you?!” Ryan’s voice wavers and breaks, betraying his sudden desire to seem threatening and throwing any chance of intimidation out his sixth-story window. This other guy, whoever the hell he is, had tumbled right to the floor, feet tangling together and dragging him downwards to crash against the hardwood.

“Shit-!” He curses as he collides, his brown eyes flicking to catch Ryan’s.

“What are you doing in my house?” Without really thinking, Ryan finds himself diving for his knife block, pulling out the biggest one he could grab through his panic and wielding it in front of him like a broadsword. The other man spots the weapon and something akin to fear sparks in his eyes- no, wait- that might actually be closer to some form of amusement. 

“Woah now,” the guy juts out his hands in a soothing manner, struggling to his feet and remaining in a half-crouched position, as if to seem non-threatening, “Watch the weapon, little guy. I don’t want to have to cause any trouble.”

“Why are you in my house?” Ryan was surprised to have managed to gather a little bit of confidence. His voice came out stronger than before, more powerful. This intruder showed no signs of fear, and that scared Ryan even more. Was this dude insane or something? Why was he breaking into Ryan’s house to… to steal Lucky Charms?? The guy stood a little taller, scratch that, way taller. Like, wow, this guy is tall and Ryan is so much shorter than him. 

“To be entirely fair,” the guy begins, his head tilting slightly and a small smile twitching onto his face, “I’ve been here for a long time now and you’re still alive. No need to be so jumpy!” Ryan’s heart plummeted, and those goosebumps returned in a fresh wave, bringing with them a shudder. What… what did that mean??? ‘I’ve been here a long time’?

“I-I’m calling the police!” One hand still holding out the knife, Ryan dove for the landline on the kitchen island between him and the intruder. 

“I can’t let you do that.” Ryan’s fingers skimmed the plastic of the phone, pulling it from it’s charging port. He even managed to type in the ‘9’, but that was as far as he got before the glowing screen and buttons of the cell went dead with a low beep and then silence. This guy hadn’t even moved and now the phone was completely dead. Ryan was hit with an overwhelming feeling of dread, scrambling backwards until he collided with the counters behind him and facing the intruder once more. The tall guy’s hands were still raised, and he hadn’t moved a step.

“What the hell did you do?” His tone stayed surprisingly steady, even and firm. The knife was still held tightly in his hand. The guy simply shrugged, letting one hand fall slowly to his side, the other raking through that unruly head of fluffy brown hair.

“It’s… it’s a long story, and I don’t think you’ll like it very much,” Ryan noticed his hands were shaking. Nice. He still wanted coffee, and a part of him still thought this must be some weird dream, or a sleep paralysis thing. “I can tell it, if you’ll let me. I’m not here to shank you or anything.” The guy actually had the audacity to chuckle. 

“Why would I let you explain? You’re in my house. What’s stopping me from getting you arrested?” Ryan didn’t feel very safe. He suddenly broke to his left, edging around the kitchen island so that it sat between him and the man. He didn’t let go of the knife.

“Well, you can’t really call the police, can you?” Again, the guy let out his chuckle, eyes bright. He stepped forwards slowly, setting his hands down on the island countertop. “So, do you want an explanation, or are you just going to stand here until you pass out?” Ryan pondered for a moment. Did he want an explanation? Yes, absolutely he did. Would that explanation probably scare him shitless? That was also very probable.

“Fine,” Ryan caves, “Why are you here?” 

“Well, you see, I, uh… I’m just a little bit not human.” The colour drains from Ryan’s skin, and he swears his heart stops in his chest. His hands don’t stop their shaking.

“W-What…?” 

“I’m a… a being from beyond, if you will. Your house is pretty nice, and… well, I’ve been crashing here for a while now.”

“You… you’re a ghost?” Ryan’s world is crashing down on him all at once. The bad energy, the bumps and the taps and the creaks, the goosebumps and the temperature- maybe he wasn’t driving himself mad, maybe this guy explained all of that- the guy shakes his head.

“Not a ghost, no. Try again.” He seems to be enjoying himself, enjoying watching Ryan’s mind be lit aflame by questions and theories and fear.

“A… An angel? Shit, some cryptid? A Sasquatch!” Even through his fear Ryan couldn’t stop his detective brain from going haywire. He had so many questions and zero answers.

“A Sasquatch- no!! Come on, man, I had more faith in you than this!!” The man raised his hand to pinch at the bridge of his nose, letting out a huff and shaking his head from side to side.

“Then what are you?” Ryan only now realizes he’d lowered his knife-wielding arm, and brought it up once more. The guy let his hand drop, rolling his dark eyes and then smiling nonchalantly. He raised his hands again, jabbing both thumbs in his direction as his grin widened.

“I’m a demon, baby!” Ryan’s face was split with a smile. He let out high-pitched laughter. He was cracking apart at the seams. 

“A-A d-demon?” His arms dropped, and the knife slipped from his grasp. The demon shot him two thumbs up and a toothy grin. “A demon. A demon… in my house.”

“You bet! A demon who really wants to eat those Lucky Charms off the floor.” Ryan was too… surprised to take in the joking tone, to register that right in front of him was a demon in human form. His entire brain had come to a grinding halt. No more theories. No more questions. Ryan.exe has officially stopped working. Instead of coherent thought, Ryan could only think of one thing- I left my holy water in my fucking suitcase. “You okay, buddy?” Ryan snaps from his shock and is thrown back into chaos. The sudden dam in his brain recedes and out comes a rush of downright unadulterated terror. He doesn’t hesitate for even a moment before he’s spinning on his heel and he’s sprinting for his bedroom. “Hey- Stop!!” The demon shouts after him but he doesn’t listen. If he can get to his bedroom he can go for his suitcase, his holy water is there in his trusty water gun. He can take this demon out and he’ll be okay, just fine. He basically kicks open his bedroom door, racing for the closet and ripping it open all the same. He hears footsteps but doesn’t dwell on them as he tears open his suitcase and begins to rip out the clothing he’d procrastinated on unpacking, desperate for the neon green of the dollar store water gun.

“Do not be afraid, do not be afraid, do not be afraid,” Ryan’s head is reeling, spinning, his hands trembling as he grabs at fabric haphazardly. He’s spiralling into pure fight or flight mode, and he has to fight. No way is he outrunning a demon. Oh, oh God Ryan spots that flash of green and gets his hopes up too soon, grabbing for the plastic. He manages to tear it from the suitcase but he hasn’t even fully turned around before another hand, covered in the thick fabric of an oven mitt, is ripping it from his grasp.

“Nope, not today, thanks- I’m not too interested in being reduced to a pile of ash!” The demon has the water gun now, and tosses it aside, obviously afraid to be burned by the substance. Ryan opens his mouth to scream, but as the temperature in the room plummets to freezing he can no longer find his voice. “Calm down, I’m not going to kill you! You don’t need to freak out!” The words hardly register as Ryan pushes himself to his feet, scrambling aside and trying to make a break for it. Instead, however, his feet tangle with the clothes thrown from his suitcase and he goes flying for the ground again. “Woah!” The demon laughs out, diving for Ryan and catching him- actually catching him- before he can hit the ground. Ryan kicks and struggles and wishes he could scream. “Stop struggling, you’re going to get yourself hurt! Jeez-“ At last, Ryan finds his voice.

“Get off of me!!” He croaks out, but can’t speak much louder than that, “Let me go, don’t touch me!!” The demon rolls his eyes yet again, and then grabs Ryan firmly by the shoulders. This guy is inhumanly strong- it doesn’t come as much of a surprise.

“If I let you go, will you stop running?? I’m not going to hurt you!” Ryan nods frantically. He just doesn’t want to be so close to a demon. All at once, he is released, the demon stumbling a few steps backwards, towards the door. He is just close enough to the exit that Ryan knows he isn’t going to be able to make a run for it. “Good,” the guy sighs, “Are we calm now? No more screaming?” Though he’s still hyperventilating, Ryan manages a meek nod, standing rigid like a deer in headlights.

“W-What do you want from me?” Ryan hates the way his voice trembles. Those familiar words, do not be afraid, echo in his mind a million miles a minute. “Are you gonna possess me? R-Rip my spine out?” The temperature in the room is rising again, climbing back towards the normal heat and chasing away the chill.  


“No, I’m not going to rip your spine out,” The demon rolls his eyes, planting his hands on his hips, “I just wanted a place to bunk down, man! I just wanted to raid your cabinets! If it were up to me, you never would have even known I existed, but here we are!” Miraculously, Ryan’s heart was slowing. It was calming again as his adrenaline seeped away, replaced by a cold, bubbling shock. There was a demon in his house, right in front of him, and as scary as that was it didn’t seem like he was going to harm Ryan. “Jeez, you look like you’ve seen a ghost! What do you, like… shit, what do humans do to calm down? Do you want some tea?” 

“I-I…” Ryan fumbled with his thoughts, struggling to form coherent sentences. He wasn’t too fond of tea, and the idea of a coffee popped back up again. He could go for a coffee. “A-A coffee?” He swallowed down the lump in his throat as the demon stepped aside, extending an arm in a motion for Ryan to go ahead and start brewing. “You really won’t skin me alive or anything like that?” The demon shakes his head. Jesus Christ, Ryan thinks to himself, am I really gonna trust a demon? With a tiny, fearful nod, Ryan starts forwards. His steps are small at first, tentative, and then he hurries forwards, past the demon and out of his bedroom, back towards the kitchen. He feels eyes burning into the back of his head as the demon follows, and notes how familiar that feeling is. How long has this demon been here? Ryan has too many questions to think straight. As he busies his still-shaking hands with turning on his coffee machine, he hears the screech of a chair being pulled back behind him. A quick glance over his shoulder shows the demon has taken a seat at the island, and is now resting his head nonchalantly in his palm. “Do you- do you want a cup?”

“I’d be delighted!” The demon smiles, his head tilting gently, almost in a calming manner. If Ryan was crazy, he might have thought that the demon was trying to comfort him. Silence pressed over the room as Ryan prepared two cups of joe, not even bothering to add any extras to his and just drinking it black. He turned back to the island, setting down the other mug. “Well thank you,” The demon nods his head, picking up the glass and taking a long sip despite the scalding temperature. The silence feels almost unbearable, and despite really not wanting to, Ryan feels the need to break it.

“My name is Ryan,” He introduces, watching the demon snicker and nod his head.

“I know. I’m Shane.” Ryan furrows his brows, but, surprisingly, not because of the cryptic ‘I know’. Instead, he is confused by how… generic, Shane is.  


“Not, like… Abaddon? Or Hecate? Something more… demon-y?” Ryan didn’t know a lot of demon names, but he was nearly certain that ‘Shane’ could be the name of a neighbor or something like that. Shane didn’t scream ‘SON OF SATAN’ as much as he thought it would. 

“First of all, Hecate is the goddess of the underworld and I am definitely not a woman,” ‘Shane’ said with a smirk, “And second, Shane is pretty demon-y if you ask me. I’d be terrified of a Shane.” To accentuate his words, Shane took another sip of his coffee, raising his eyebrows in silent challenge. Ryan didn’t have the guts to deny that. 

“Why… Why my house? Why are you like, attached to me?” Blowing gently on his coffee, Ryan felt his shaking slow to a halt, his heart rate returning to something a little more normal. The last of the panic was ebbing away, and a teeny part of his mind said ‘What if this demon really isn’t all that bad?’.  


“I’m not attached, I could leave if I really wanted to, but I don’t think I will. It’s rare that a human deals with the knowledge of a demon so well.” Shane finished off his coffee. “Besides, you’ve got some killer snacks. Have you ever considered eating a little healthier?” If Shane were anyone else, anything but a demon, Ryan might have been offended. He didn’t have the healthiest eating habits, sure, but he definitely wasn’t the worst person on the planet when it came to snack foods. Ignoring the question Shane had asked him, Ryan spoke one of his own.

“So you’re just going to… stick around? Raid my cabinets from time to time?” If that were the case, he could honestly live with that just fine. An unseen evil presence and some missing bags of chips weren’t the end of the world. Shane shrugs, leaning back in his chair and crossing one leg over the other.  


“Probably.” Well, that was straight-forward enough. Ryan swallowed, and nodded his head for what seemed like the millionth time that night. 

“Okay,” He breathes out, letting out a strained chuckle, “Okay, that’s alright. If I don’t die, you can do whatever you want.” Suddenly desperate to get out of conversing with a demon, Ryan quickly added on, “I have to get my work done, but… uh… make yourself at home?” Though his words were more like a question than a statement, Shane stood from his seat, all 6’ 4” of him, and grinned. 

“Don’t mind if I do.” 

“Goodnight, I guess.” Ryan left his mug on the counter, smiling tightly. He didn’t wait for Shane to respond as he rounded the island and scurried away to his room. He didn’t work again, and instead left his laptop on his nightstand. Rather than finishing up the last of his editing, he curled up under the blankets, the lights off and the door locked, and tried to grasp onto the reality of his situation. Maybe he’d wake up tomorrow morning, having gone insane with sleep-deprivation, and this will all have been in his head. Or, maybe, there really was a demon living in his apartment.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want to thank Golden4278 for boosting my story. It's been only two or three days and I'm already getting so much positive feedback for this book. You are really just the sweetest person I've ever met- guys, if you aren't here because of her, go and read everything she has. It's so wonderful. Honestly the gratest things I've ever read.

Ryan woke to the screeching of his alarm. Somehow he had managed to actually fall asleep, and his body was grateful for it. He didn't feel all that rested, but at least he felt like he could function, and that was more than enough for him. It was Friday; if he could get through work today, then he could sleep for the entire weekend and- oh, shit. Ryan never finished editing. He sprung up from his bed, throwing the blankets haphazardly aside and leaping to his feet. It was 7:00 am sharp, which left him 45 minutes to finish the video and then another 15 to drive to work. If he ditched breakfast, he could do it. He swiped up his laptop, plucking one earbud up and jamming it into his ear before flipping the screen up. His editing software was just how he left it, with only another thirteen minutes of footage to sift through and then the outro credits to attach. He could do this. Sitting at his barely-used desk he went into speedrun mode, eyes trained on the screen and fingers flying over shortcut keys. Through his anxiety he found himself glancing at the time on his phone every three minutes- as the time sped by much too quickly, he worked quicker than he ever had before. It might come out a little sloppier than usual, but at least he would get it done.

"Skipping breakfast, huh?" Ryan leapt out of his skin. He shrieked, scrambling away from the voice that had spoken directly in his ear, just loud enough to pierce the audio from his earbuds. He hadn't even heard anyone approach, and he was crashing to the ground before he knew it, staring up at two brown eyes glittering with amusement.

"Jesus Christ, who-" Ryan cut himself off as his memories caught up with him. Demon. Shane. This guy. Right. With his heart hammering inside of his chest, Ryan let his eyes fall shut, sucking in a shaky breath and climbing back to his feet. "You scared the shit out of me!" Taking a few steps backwards, Ryan watched as Shane set a mug of coffee down on the desk, smiling as if he was entirely innocent.

"My bad, I thought you would have heard me!" Ryan fought the urge to roll his eyes, biting his tongue to stop from shooting back a retort. A little bit of fear was coming back to him, now that he was awake enough to register that, yes, this was either some sort of elaborate joke or scheme, or there really was a demon in his house.

"What are you doing here?" At Ryan's question, Shane only shrugged, taking a few steps backwards and dropping to sit on his bed. With a little more space between them, Ryan felt comfortable enough to sit down and continue working.

"I just thought I'd bring you a drink. Didn't look like you were going to try to nourish yourself in any way before leaving." Shane watched intently as, though reluctant, Ryan turned his back to him and continued to tap away at his keyboard. He found it easier not to acknowledge the demon than to try and accept that he was really there. This was all still kind of... crazy, to him, and that isn't much of a surprise. "What are you working on, anyways? Same stuff as last night? What job has you this busy?" Ryan debated on even answering. What did it matter? The less Shane knew about him the better, right? With a sigh, Ryan spoke without looking over his shoulder, gaze still trained on his computer screen.

"I'm editing." That was enough of an answer to appease Shane, or so Ryan thought. Turns out the demon is curious. He stood, planting one hand on the back of Ryan's chair, looming over his shoulder in a way to seem as non-threatening as possible. Still, Ryan had to force himself not to flinch away. His time was running short and he really needed this done- as much as he wanted to, he didn't have time to run away screaming.

"'Buzzfeed Unsolved'?" Shane leaned in a little closer, scanning over the complicated interface of the editor. It must look like chaos to anyone who hasn't spent years using it. A few moments passed where Ryan was silent, but Shane wanted an answer. "What's Buzzfeed Unsolved?"

"It's a YouTube channel. I tell true crime stories and hunt ghosts-" Shane cut him off, breaking out into raucous laughter. He took a few steps backwards, planting one hand on his hip, the other coming up to run over his eyes as his head tilted back.

"Ghosts? You hunt ghosts? You know- You know those aren't real, right?" The demon could hardly speak through his giggling. Ryan wasn't surprised, to say the least. He'd met his fair share of non-believers.

"I," He began, still tapping away at his keyboard, "am trying to prove the opposite. I know they're real." A few more clicks, and then he let out a sigh. He was done. Thank God. He checks the clock, reading the time to be 7:43. It's about time he leaves, and Ryan was more than happy to get out of there. Quickly, he packed up his laptop, sliding it into its designated bag and slinging that bag over his shoulder as he stood from his seat. Shane had taken a seat on his bed again, one leg crossed over the other, a lingering smile still stuck on his face.

"Off to chase your ghoulies?" He asked, grinning wider as Ryan fought the urge to roll his eyes.

"Yeah, I've gotta get to work," get me the hell out of here already, "Don't... don't break anything while I'm gone, please." Ryan exited his room, Shane close behind him. As he slid on his shoes, he struggled to form the sentence he wanted to speak. At last, he managed, his tone awkward and stricken with undertones of fear, "I won't go... telling everyone at work about you. Don't worry." Shane laughed again, his grin making the corners of his eyes crinkle.

"As if anyone would believe you!" His voice rose a few octaves into something mocking as he said, "Ooooh, there's a demon in my house!" He raised his hands to the side of his face, waggling his fingers dramatically. Ryan only shook his head, brushing off his agitation. Don't get angry with the demon, Ryan. That's a death wish and a half.

"Uh... bye, I guess." Shane dropped his hands, still smiling, and waved Ryan off with a two-fingered salute. Ryan tugged open the door, passing Shane one last glance before shutting and locking it right behind him. For a moment, he just stood there in the apartment hallway, relishing in the way that the dread evaporated from his stomach. His own home felt different now, dangerous, even. He never expected that he'd ever prefer the Buzzfeed offices over his own house. Ryan sighs, and turns to leave, telling himself that he can figure all of this out after work- just for the day, he wants to pretend like his life is normal. He wants to pretend that there isn't a supernatural being infesting his apartment. Thanks, life, for throwing a demon at me.

\-----

Physical bodies suck. Shane found that out pretty quickly. They need so much nutrition and rest- who the hell has time to keep this thing alive? Right now, Shane is in Ryan's kitchen, wondering what food people normally eat to keep themselves running smoothly. Something in his mind told him lucky charms and cool ranch Doritos weren't healthy enough, and that he should maybe try to eat some greens or something like that instead. On the kitchen counter is a bowl, and inside of it lies a selection of different fruits. He plucks an apple from its place, staring at it distastefully for a moment before shrugging his shoulders and moving in to take a bite.

Now, Shane wasn't too used to all of these human things yet. Sure, he wasn't totally dense, but taste was still pretty new to him since most other demonic forms don't absorb anything other than negative energy. After feeding off of tasteless power for so long, the sour-sweet of the apple was... delectable, in a word. It was a surprise to him. Who knew that this weird round red thing would be so delicious? Shane's stomach had been grumbling throughout the last few hours, and the apples were just so great that once he had finished one, he was reaching for another- and then a third. Hopefully Ryan won't miss his apples. After temporarily sating his growling stomach, Shane found himself on the couch staring in front of him at the TV. He raised one hand, flashing a finger gun, and 'firing' in the direction of the screen. With a buzz, the TV came to life, and Shane found himself grinning. His spooky demon magic seemed to be finicky in this human form, and he was surprised that he could still use it at all, even though it was significantly weaker now. Shane picked the remote from where it was on the coffee table, leaning back into the sofa and propping his feet up in front of him. For a moment, he pondered, trying to remember the name of that show Ryan worked for- right, Buzzfeed Unsolved. Accessing apps and going to YouTube, he found Ryan's channel and began to browse, occupying himself with that for the remainder of the day.

\-----

Ryan's shoulders sank as he approached his door, afraid of what he might find on the other side. On the drive home from the Buzzfeed offices, he finally managed to wrap his head around the idea of living with a demon. He wasn't sure how often normal people coexisted with them, but he assumed it wasn't entirely far-fetched since people had ghosts in their houses all the time. What's the harm if the demon isn't openly trying to kill you? Now, the biggest of Ryan's worries were whether or not Shane trashed his apartment. Pulling out his house key, Ryan slips it into the doorknob, giving it a twist and pushing it open to reveal his house on the other side. His eyebrows raised at the sight before him; everything was just fine. In fact, it looks like Shane might have even tidied up a little.

"Hello?" Ryan calls out after shutting the door behind him, stepping out of his shoes and setting them neatly aside as he scans over the living room. "Shane?" He spots a set of legs hanging over one arm of the sofa, stepping forwards to peer over the backrest. Shane was fast asleep, a throw pillow clutched to his chest, letting out rumbling snores similar to the growl of a bear. Ryan found himself smiling, a small thing, but it made his heart feel light and warm. He hadn't known demons needed sleep. It made Shane a little more... human.

"Why are you watching me sleep...?" Ryan jumps at the sound of Shane's voice; he still has his eyes closed, but his lips twitch up into a sly smirk as small bits of heat redden Ryan's face.

"I- I wasn't- I wasn't watching you. I don't know what you're talking about." Rapidly, Ryan pushes away from the couch, moving towards the kitchen instead and busying himself with looking for something to make for dinner. "Are you hungry?" Ryan offers without really thinking, just desperate to change the topic before Shane can continue to tease him. He hears shuffling behind him followed quickly by footsteps, and as Ryan turns to face him, Shane takes a seat at the kitchen island. The demon shrugs his shoulders, resting his head in his hands, elbows propped on the counter as if he were taking glamour shots.

"I haven't had lots of human food. What's good?" Ryan stalls as the realization settles on him. Of course Shane hasn't had much human food. Ryan wondered momentarily what else he hadn't had the chance to experience- a warm shower on a cold day, the feeling of sunlight on your tired face in the morning, the smell of petrichor after rainfall.

"What have you had so far? What do you like?" Ryan set his hands down on the counter, letting the tension ease from his form. He found it surprisingly easy to relax despite the presence right in front of him. He didn't know whether to give into the want to feel comfortable, or to keep his guard up in case of some sort of danger- he ended up caving and doing the former.

"I raided your fruit bowl and ate all the apples, and they were," Shane lifts one hand, pressing his fingers to his lips in a chef's kiss that makes Ryan want to visibly cringe, "but other than that I haven't tasted any other real food." Biting the inside of his cheek, Ryan wondered what he would want his first meal to be if he miraculously came to exist one day. He was no chef, so he decided home cooking was out of the question. Maybe the right choice was something classic. All at once, Ryan knows what to get.

"I've got it!" He smiles, both excited for himself and for Shane. He pulled out his phone, opening good ole' UberEats. "I'm guessing you've never had a taco?" Ryan glances up from his phone momentarily, just in time to catch Shane's shaking head and small smile. "Then Taco Bell it is." Ryan did nothing more than double his usual order- the cheesy gordita crunch combo with large root beer and large fries- and then it was on its way. By far the best taco in LA, he knew Shane would enjoy it, and the root beer, too. Root beer was utter perfection. As Ryan clicks his phone off and sets it down in front of him, silence presses over the two once more, Shane being the one to break it.

"So, how are you dealing with the whole 'demon in my house' situation?" He leans back in his chair, crossing one leg over the other. 

"It's... less scary now. I'm still not totally convinced you won't rip out my teeth, but," Ryan's tone is playful be he really does mean that, "I can live with it. Getting scared is basically my job." Shane seems surprised by that answer. Though he's never been seen by a human before, he didn't expect this first time to be so easy. "Since you asked me a question, I get to ask you one too." Shane laughs, his eyebrows raising. 

"Bargaining with the devil, are we?" He hums, and Ryan laughs nervously as a new thought enters his mind- Shane isn't... the devil, is he? "Go ahead, ask away. I don't mind sharing." Pushing his fear aside, question after question goes tumbling through his mind like a rampant river, fighting for priority. They move so quickly that, for a moment, Ryan can't form a full sentence. At last, he manages to grab onto one.

"Why me? Why my house?" Though this wasn't the question he wanted an answer to the most, it was definitely the most important. As Ryan stood there, waiting for an answer, Shane directed his gaze to the ceiling as if needing to ponder the question for a moment. That just proved to Ryan that picking his apartment had been Shane's personal choice. 

"It's cozy. Nice view, and, well," Shane shrugs his shoulders, "I definitely did some house-hunting first. You were the only person who I thought might be oblivious enough not to notice me." The demon laughs, his eyes alight with amusement, and somehow Ryan finds it within himself to chuckle along as well. "Now my turn to ask another question. What's your view on sleep?" It was funny to Ryan that Shane seemed so obviously interested (and uneducated) about human lifestyle, asking questions about mundane things like naps when he himself was fighting the urge to question the fabric of the universe. 

"I think it's pretty useless. If people didn't have to sleep, we'd get so much more done. The world would be two times as advanced if we didn't waste the night sleeping. How is the physical form treating you?" For the first proper time, Ryan looked Shane up and down. He was wearing generic clothing, though his fashion taste was a little bit eccentric, consisting of a white collared shirt underneath what looked like a dark green and red dad sweater, along with a mustard yellow blazer and a pair of transparent glasses. His hair was long, a caramel brown, his eyes a few shades darker. Compared to Ryan's simple gray button-up and black khakis, it sure was a sight. 

"It's been hard, that's for sure," Shane says, "I can't believe you manage to work all the time and keep yourself alive. Crazy stuff!" He's about to speak again, asking Ryan another question, when four sharp knocks slice through the conversation. Ryan grins wide, his face lighting up like a Christmas tree.

"Ready for the best damn taco you'll ever eat?" He rounds the island, headed straight for the door, Shane hopping from his chair and following right behind him. Ryan pulled the door open, relieved when he glances rapidly over his shoulder to Shane nowhere in sight. As normal as Shane looks, Ryan's paranoia would get the best of him if he was seen. Standing in the hallway was a man with a takeout bag and a drink tray in his hands. Since Ryan had paid online beforehand, he took the food and drink and wished the delivery guy a good day. The door was shut once more, and as Ryan spun to go back to the kitchen Shane popped into view. He dwarfed Ryan as he hurried to his side, his eyes bright as stars. 

"It smells great!" He breathed out, following Ryan's footsteps over towards the sofa. The two sat down on either side of the couch, just enough distance for the human of the two to stay comfortable as he unpacked the bag. Out came two taco-shaped items, and then the french fries. Ryan also handed Shane one of the root beers before going about unwrapping his own meal. Shane basically tore his wrapper apart, revealing the gordita crunch in all of it's glory. He dove in for a bite, and Ryan decided to wait to eat his own for another second. He wanted to see the exact moment that Shane fell in love with Taco Bell. Just as he had guessed, that moment was a great one- Shane's eyebrows shot up into the air, his gaze turning to land on Ryan. "Zamo! You just- You just eat this? Whenever you want?" He spoke with his mouth full, not a polite bone in his body, but that was just fine. Watching Shane beam like this was almost like watching a child open birthday presents. "Shit, taking care of these flesh suits might be worth it after all!"

"I told you it was the best taco you'd ever have!" At last, Ryan bit into his own meal. If it was this delicious for him after eating it time and time again, he can't imagine how fantastic it must be for Shane, who has literally eaten nothing for his entire life. 

"Oh!" Shane said through another bite, "I watched that Buzzfeed thing- it's pretty cool! I like the true crime stuff!" Now it was Ryan's turn to act surprised, passing Shane an almost bashful glance in response. Shane raised a hand, pointing at the TV. At once, it lit up with a chime, right to YouTube. Ryan was, surprisingly, unfazed by the supernatural way Shane turned on the television. As the demon went to select a random episode, Ryan yet again found a calm smile on his face. This was a lot to him, having a demon in his house and all that, but... it was... nice, to hear another person's voice other than his buddies from work. He hadn't had a roommate in ages, and though Shane was loud and lively, his presence was nice. Maybe, just maybe, Ryan doesn't think Shane is too scary.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was pretty slow, more just Shane and Ryan getting to know each other :) I hope to make things a little spicier soon, but I really want this to be a slowburn so I'm fighting with every fiber of my being not to rush them into a relationship. As much as I want Shyan fluff, I'll do my best to pace things :D


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (A/N): New chapter! Yay! I am ADDICTED to this book and these boys and- It's so so nice to have a creative outlet to pour my love and affection into.

"What? That place scared you? Come on, Steve is chill!" Shane leaned back against the arm of the couch, legs extended across the cushions, tucked up just enough not to touch Ryan. The human looked shocked, his eyes blown wide and his jaw dropped. 

"That bridge was fucking terrifying!" On the TV in front of the two boys an episode of Buzzfeed Unsolved was set on pause, freezing the frame and displaying Ryan in front of a Ouija board, surrounded by candles- The Goatman's Bridge. Shane claimed to know the guy to some minimal degree, having spoken to him once or twice in passing. He was vouching for the demon, poking fun at Ryan for having been so afraid while in that stupid supernatural forest. "I was seriously convinced that I was going to die that night, okay?" Shane rolled his eyes at Ryan's words. 

"I see you kept your stupid little water toy, too?" Despite the sarcasm lacing his tone, Shane's eyes were alight with amusement, and his toothy grin stretched from ear to ear. Ryan broke out laughing, a full-on genuine howl, and he asks himself how long it's been since he's been like this. It seems like ages ago that he's felt this at ease, and around a demon no less- seriously, what was up with Ryan? Why is he so... calm? "So," Shane broke through Ryan's laughter, giving him one more moment to calm himself and catch his breath before continuing, "When's the next time you're going me-hunting? Looking for your fake little ghoulies?" 

"They're not fake, Shane!" Ryan wheezed out the words, his laughter pulled back up by the way Shane waggled his fingers and widened his eyes, "You're such an asshole." Ryan shook his head, glancing over at the demon with a smile. The two had been sitting here watching Unsolved on YouTube for the last four hours or so, and Shane was dead-set on giving some logical alternative to any evidence presented on the screen. Of course, every time, Ryan had leaped to defend his work with whatever he could. The playful way they bickered with one another was almost natural, as if the two were two pieces of the same puzzle. Ryan had never grown as comfortable with another human being- being in general as quickly as he has grown comfortable with Shane. 

"You didn't answer my question, Ryan," Shane pressed, still smiling wide. 

"Oh, right- Now that I've finished wrapping up the true crime series, I have a local place booked for Monday and another place a few hours away for Wednesday." He was a little breathless from the laughing, and Shane frowned at his words, tilting his head and running his fingers through his mass of hair. 

"So you're leaving- for a couple days?" Shane had almost thrown in me right after 'leaving', and he felt silly for it. Ryan wasn't leaving him, that wasn't even possible for them- Shane and Ryan weren't a pair, one couldn't leave the other, only people who were close could leave one another. Ryan shrugs his shoulders, his brows furrowing into an apologetic expression. 

"Yeah, me and the rest of the crew'll be pretty busy this week. After we've got our recording done, we'll have to trim and edit," Ryan twisted to lean his back against the his couch arm rest, facing Shane now, his legs jutting out to rest beside those of the demons, "After I get that done, we have a few more shoots to do the week after, and then more editing, and so on- we'll have our plates full for a while." To cover up the strange disappointment in the pit of his stomach, Shane shrugged his shoulders, digging through his mind for some joke to make to ease the tension he feared would otherwise grip the two.

"Maybe I'll have to come pay you and your ghost-hunting friends a visit," He winked, an easy-breezy motion that seemed all to natural for the guy. The guilt left Ryan's features, leaving in it's wake a form of exasperation. 

"Please don't do that. Mark thinks I'm crazy enough, he doesn't need to know I think I'm friends with a demon, too." He grew a grin, tilting his head and adding on, "Actually, if we didn't tell them about the whole supernatural part of you I can actually see you fitting right in. They like to tease me about ghosts too." The conversation continued, lighthearted as ever with Ryan explaining a little more about his Buzzfeed team. He told Shane about how, yes, Ryan considered them all friends but he never really hung out with them outside of work. Shane felt bad for the little guy- sure, the demon might act a little ditsy, but he's smart enough to see how lonely Ryan must have been before they met. The way the human spoke so eagerly, almost never without a smile, was endlessly endearing. Shane found himself wondering how Ryan didn't have more friends. At one point, along with the end credits of a Supernatural episode, Ryan's stomach started rumbling. 

"Ooh, does that mean it's snack time? I could go for some more tasty food items!" Shane sat forwards, his eyes suddenly ten times brighter, if that was even possible, "Can we have more tacos?" Ryan sat forwards just the same, rolling his shoulders and scanning over different restaurants in his head. 

"Actually, I think we should try pizza tonight. You'll love it," Ryan patted his pockets for his phone, frowning when he didn't feel it's familiar shape. He spotted it on the table, just out of reach, and let out a sigh. He was too comfortable. Luckily, his new demon friend had surprisingly long arms, and raced to Ryan's aid without even needing to be asked. 

"Here you go, little guy," Shane extended the phone to Ryan, and for the first real time Ryan willingly touched Shane's hand. It was just a little brush, Ryan's fingers skimming over Shane's own, but it didn't scare him like he thought it might. "So, tell me about this pizza." The tiny interaction seemed to mean no significance to Shane. Ryan let it go without dwelling on it. 

"Well it's like..." God, how do you explain pizza to a newborn in the skin of an adult male? "Giant slabs of dough, with, like, tomato sauce and cheese and stuff. They bake it and it puffs up." Shane suddenly let out a bark of a laugh, shaking his head,

"No, no- I know what it looks like, Ryan," Oh, shit, of course he did- Shane has obviously heard of pizza before, "What does it taste like?" Now, Ryan was the one who felt like a newborn. He hasn't always been the best with people, and Shane's complex background only made it more difficult to decipher the guy. Ryan muttered out a rapid apology, and, with a reddened face, sprung to move the conversation forwards as he opened his phone to order the food. 

"That depends on the type that you get. There's pepperoni, BBQ chicken, Hawaiian-" 

"What?" Shane's face was overtaken by absolute outrage, his brows furrowing, "You put Hawaiian's on your pizza?" Now it was Ryan's turn to break out into a fit of wheezing laughter. He smiled so wide his cheeks hurt, feeling his eyes glass over and his breath leave him. The genuine confusion in every one of Shane's features was downright hilarious, and Ryan almost just chose not to clarify since it was so funny. In the end, after nearly a full minute of gut-busting laughter, Ryan managed to get breath back into his lungs and calm himself down. Shane had crossed his arms, something akin to irritation on his face now- or maybe that was humiliation. 

"It's not Hawaiian's, idiot, it's ham and pineapple-"

"That's even worse!" Ryan broke out laughing yet again. 

\-----

Shane had loved the pizza. The two had immediately written off Hawaiian, settling for a classic pepperoni instead. They'd finished the whole thing in no time, the demon eating considerably more than Ryan had, which made sense in a way. He was supernatural, after all, and it was already clear that Shane's stomach was a demon in of itself, never entirely sated. The sun had set, and now Ryan's living room was illuminated by nothing but the lamp on the couch-side table. The two men were still in front of the TV, but they were no longer watching Ryan's show. Instead, Shane had a controller in his hands, and seemed to be all too invested in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Though he'd had the game for a while, Ryan had never started it- it just hadn't really piqued his interest- but the moment the taller of the two set eyes on the disk, he was invested. 

"Look, Ry!" Shane was grinning ear to ear, pointing his finger towards the TV, his glittering gaze directed at Ryan, "He looks just like you!" Ryan couldn't help but smile, shaking his head and rolling his eyes. On the TV screen, Shane's little character was locked in conversation with some blue penguin with big eyes- the little name bubble read 'Roald', and it couldn't look less like Ryan. 

"You're ridiculous," He scoffed out through a wheeze of laughter, much gentler now than it had been a few hours prior. Just as he was about to speak again, he was interrupted by a yawn, his jaw stretching wide, slumping back into the sofa. 

"Tired? You can go sleep if you want." Shane leaned back as well, eyes glued back on the TV. Despite Shane's distraction, Ryan still shook his head, knowing that the demon couldn't see the action and not really caring. Sitting here with newfound company was too nice to let go. Ryan could stay up just a little while longer. A part of his brain told him that if he left now, he'd wake tomorrow morning and Shane would be gone. He didn't want that to happen- he hadn't laughed like he has with Shane in ages, maybe even his whole life. Despite his decision to try and stay awake, he found his eyelids dropping. Maybe sleeping on the couch wasn't a bad idea. Before he let the soft cradle of sleep accept him, he found the energy to mumble out,

"Don't stay up too late." The words were quiet, and for a second Ryan wasn't even sure that Shane had heard him- but then the demon nodded his head and let out a little 'mhmm' along with a quick goodnight. If when Ryan fell asleep his head slumped onto Shane's shoulder, neither man spoke of it. If when Shane finally grew too tired to keep playing and let his own head fall onto Ryan's, neither man spoke of it. They both slept fine.


	4. Chapter 4

Ryan woke to loneliness- he was on his couch, leaning heavily on the armrest with a knitted blanket tucked firmly around his shoulders. The memories from the night before were a tinge foggy, most likely because Ryan had been so utterly tired, but he was still certain that Shane had been at his side while he dozed off. The demon's sudden disappearance brought the tiniest little itty bit of worry into Ryan's stomach, and he tried his best to brush that feeling away. As if timed to ease the negativity, a voice rings out through the house, loud and clear despite it being no later than 9:00 am on a Saturday morning. 

"You awake in there, little guy?" Shane was in the kitchen, or so the echo of his voice foretold. 

"Yeah, I-" Ryan was cut off as a yawn forced it's way out of him, and he waited for it to pass before he continued to speak, "-I'm up," Leaning forwards, Ryan craned his neck, trying to catch an angle of the kitchen where he could see Shane. There wasn't one. Ryan was reluctant to leave the little blanket nest that seems to have formed, but he wanted to say good morning to Shane more properly; there was also a little part of him that was afraid for the state of his kitchen. Could Shane be trusted alone in there? Probably not. First kicking off the blanket then stretching out his legs, Ryan clambered to his feet, scraping his fingers through his hair in an attempt to get it to cooperate just a little more. The hardwood was cold underfoot, weak sunlight filtering in through the window. Rain would be well on it's way, if the grey, clouded sky was anything to go by. Ryan walked to the kitchen, stifling another yawn and stretching his arms high above his head. The moment he stepped through the threshold, mid-stretch, he froze, his eyebrows furrowing in utter confusion. Shane was there leaning against the counter, two items in hand- a jar of pickles, and Ryan's brand new bag of cheetos. 

"What?" Shane asked, and then popped a cheeto into his mouth before taking another one of the orange snack out of it's bag. Ryan simply watched, seeing if his suspicions were true. As Shane moved to dip the cheeto in the pickle jar like an absolute animal Ryan shot forwards, 100% outraged. 

"What are you doing?" His voice came out in a high-pitch squeal, his eyes shot wide, all tiredness forgotten. Shane's face morphed into one of shock, and then guilt, though it was obvious that he didn't know what he was supposed to be guilty for. He dropped the bag of cheetos onto the counter, stumbling a few steps backwards and away from the food he'd been so wretchedly mixing together. 

"Oh, was I not supposed to eat those? I'm sorry, I had no idea. I can- Uh, I can... buy you another bag, or- I don't have any money but- theft isn't entirely impossible-" Shane clasped his hands together, nearly shrinking into himself. Now Ryan was the one feeling guilty.

"No, shit, no, Shane," Ryan took his own step backwards, and then thought better of it and approached Shane instead, "Sorry, I- I didn't mean to yell like that, I just..." A joke, Ryan needed a joke. That was certain to lighten the mood a little. Ryan tried, but couldn't find one, and rather than let the silence stretch out further he says, "I've never seen anyone dip their cheetos in pickle juice. I was confused is all, it's a little..." He struggled to find the words as understanding dawned on Shane's face, "It's a little weird." The word 'weird' felt almost insulting as it rolled off of his tongue, and he wished he'd used something nicer- his word choice didn't seem to hurt Shane at all, though, since the demon was smiling widely now, his shoulders shaking with light laughter. "I'm not mad or anything like that, just- what... why? Why?" Shane is still smiling, the action nearly as bright as the sun itself, nodding his head. 

"I got a little nervous there for a second, Ry," He says through a chuckle, returning to the counter and delving on hand back into the bag of cheetos to continue committing his food crime, "It really isn't that bad, at least not bad enough for you to throw a tantrum." Ryan is about to shoot back a retort, something along the lines of 'that wasn't a tantrum!' but he bites it back and instead chooses to try and be a little tamer. After all, he did just make the three-day-old demon feel bad because Ryan was trash at communication. "Come on, try it. Just give it a shot." Suddenly, the bag was extended in Ryan's direction, and he grimaced, taking a step away.

"Fuck that," He waves a hand dismissively, instead crossing the room for the fridge. "There are about a billion other things I'd put in my mouth before that combo." Fishing out the carton of eggs, Ryan turned for the stove, where a pan was already out and ready thanks to his laziness when unloading the dishwasher a few nights ago.

"Oooh, you can cook?" Shane's bag and jar were left behind, forgotten on the counter as he slid in beside Ryan, towering at his side, radiating curiosity, "Can you teach me?" Ryan's scoff was immediate for two different reasons.

"First off, I don't know you all too well yet but I am absolutely 100% certain that you cannot be trusted in a kitchen," Ryan flipped open the top of the egg carton, pulling out one egg and cracking it on the corner of the pan, flipping the stove onto medium heat, "Second, I'm shit at cooking, I couldn't teach you if I tried." Shane seemed to deflate, to some degree. The sight of Shan, disappointed more than he should be, is sadder than Ryan could have ever imagined. Of course, Ryan doesn't know that this is all an act, Shane's full-bodied version of 'puppy-dog eyes'. "But," Ryan adds as the egg drops into the pan with a sizzle, "I guess, maybe, if I can find away not to make it suspicious or anything, I can ask one of my Buzzfeed friends to try and teach you or something." Just like that, Shane is bright again, moving to hop up and sit on the counter right beside the stove. 

"Deal!" he says with that trademark wide grin, and for the first time Ryan notices that his outfit is entirely different. Now, instead of that oddly fitting eyesore of a mustard yellow blazer Shane is fitted with a simple black turtleneck and a jean jacket. It's significantly more mundane, and makes Ryan feel a little less weird about his own bland wardrobe. 

"Do you want one?" Ryan asks, gesturing to the pan.

"Can I trust it not to kill me?" Shane retorts right back, raising one eyebrow, eyes alight with a teasing glow. 

"Probably," Obviously the egg is safe to eat. Ryan goes along with a little joke anyhow. "There's like, a 60% percent chance it'll give you food poisoning." Shane's eyebrows shoot up in surprise, and then he's smiling impossibly wider and leaning forwards, expression intense.

"I love those odds." Now, Ryan is wheezing, and he decides that he likes Shane quite a lot.


End file.
